Hello! We’re brimming over with excitement here at Kiva Headquarters because today we get to introduce you to the Kiva API. We’ve been working hard over the past 4 months, crafting this interface so that anyone with a bit of software savvy can help us create new applications, tools, and features for the Kiva lending community. All you need to get started is a bit of instruction – the Kiva API is completely open and no developer registration is required to use it.
The Kiva API begins as a set of RESTful web services, focused primarily on the tasks of fetching public data from Kiva. For example, here’s are some of the things you can request through the API:
- all of the loans at Kiva currently raising funds
- all of the entrepreneurs from Uganda and Peru which have fully repaid their loans
- the latest lending activity on Kiva
- financial nitty-gritty for any of our loans
- the list of loans made by any one of Kiva’s lenders with a public lender page
All of this data is delivered with well-formed computer-friendly markup (e.g. JSON or XML) making it easy to integrate into applications. And, this list is just a start. Keep up with us here at build.kiva.org as we post news about new API methods and tools for development. Eventually, we intend to make it possible to recreate the entire lending experience on top of the API!
So what will you build? If you’re at a loss for ideas we’ve started a running list of many of the great ideas we’ve heard about so far. Here are a few:
- an application for iPhone or Blackberry that let’s you keep up with Kiva on the go
- a service where lenders can register for alerts on new entrepreneurs they want to fund
- integration into a social network where friends can engage around each others’ activity and loan updates on Kiva
- a map that simulates the realtime transfer of funds across the globe
If you already have a cool site or service, the killer app may in fact be how you integrate Kiva with that! Once you’ve got something started, feel free to share it with the rest of us in our Google Group. Of course, we’ll also be happy to help you there if you get stuck with something. For those of you who aren’t developers, feel free to poke around and share your ideas with us. We’ll promise to keep you updated in newsletters and at www.kiva.org with all the coolest creations.
We created the Kiva API because we know the idea of Kiva is bigger than any number of people we can sit in our offices or send into the field. Our website has already done so much to connect people and bring new opportunity to the developing world, but it is nothing compared to the impact we think that technology and microfinance together will have to alleviate poverty. It is going to take a lot of innovation, a lot of creativity, and a lot of passionate people bringing the opportunity of loans to places they’ve never been. Because we believe in the power of you as a part of this open and transparent community we are opening our digital doors today and asking you to help us change the world with loans.
This sounds really awesome! Way to go Kiva. Keep up the good work. I look forward to seeing the creative projects that get unleashed due to your API.
WOW. This is just FANTASTIC.
Team KIVA you ROCK
What wonderful news! This is a great way to grow and strengthen the Kiva community. I particularly love the idea of connecting with other donors.
This is awesome!
I just threw together a little script and now have a random loan (in fundraising status) display at the top of my website. Thank you for doing this!
Excellent news! Can’t wait to set aside a weekend and build something fun (and useful) with the API.
[...] the non-profit people-to-people microlending organization, is rolling out an open-source API platform for techies interested in building tools and new applications for the microfinance/microlending [...]
nice!!
Nice move!
I’m out now so I can’t check the API properly. If it isn’t too difficult, I’ll make a free iPhone app in a day or two.
Great effort here guys
Build.Kiva: Kiva’s Open API…
http://Build.Kiva.org is Kiva’s open-source API platform to extend the microlending platform; http://tr.im/eht8 ……
[...] Kiva.org (which we profiled here) announced that it was creating a developer community and releasing a set of APIs. With this bold stroke, Kiva transforms itself from microfinacing product to microfinancing [...]
[...] 個人対個人の小額貸し付けをサポートする非営利団体Kiva.orgが、小額貸し付け/小額借り入れ機能のあるアプリケーションを作りたい人のために、APIをオープンソース化して提供する。Kivaは、’build.kiva.org’が、より良い世界を作りたい（ついでにクールなアプリケーションも作りたい）と思っている社会派デベロッパのための、ハブになることを願っている。 [...]
[...] coole Sache: Introducing the Kiva API Comments via Disqus | Trackback [...]
what a great idea. and what a good way to do business. great going, matt, premal, jessica and the team.
[...] build.kiva: Blog – Introducing the Kiva API "The Kiva API begins as a set of RESTful web services, focused primarily on the tasks of fetching public data from Kiva. For example, here’s are some of the things you can request through the API: [...]
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[...] can tell I am a bit behind, as their Introduced the Kiva API 5 days ago, but you know, better later than never. The Kiva API begins as a set of RESTful web [...]
[...] tette az új API-t, amit a build.kiva oldalon lehet megtekinteni. Kicsit lassú vagyok, mert a konkrét bemutatás 5 napja történt, de nem vert túl nagy viszhangot – sajnos -, úgyhogy csak most találtam meg. [...]
[...] its developer blog, and developer homepage, Kiva looks to support its developers with a wiki, great documentation and [...]
Hi guys,
I wish you’d get in touch! (we’ve been trying to contact you for ages)
Our API piggy-backs on another e-commerce transaction. Although we currently fund formal charities, we’d love to fund the micro-lending model as well.
GET IN TOUCH
Simon Monk
[...] manage the Zillow API program as part of my day job, so the release of the Kiva API (myKRO coverage) a few weeks ago certainly caught my attention given my microfinance interest to go [...]
[...] Kiva.org, the non-profit people-to-people microlending organization, is rolling out an open-source API platform for techies interested in building tools and new applications for the microfinance/microlending [...]